Carton taping machine with steam moistener for the tape



March 27, 1951 A. F. SHIELDS 2,546,873

CARTON TAPING MACHINE WITH STEAM MOISTENER FOR THE TAPE Filed Dec. 9, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ALBERT F. SH/ELDS A TTORNEYS March 27, 1951 A. F. SHIELDS 2,546,873

. CARTON TAPING MACHINE WITH STEAM MOISTENER FOR THE TAPE Filed Dec. 9, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II II J J 3' /3 I25 L 94 III I iii-ALF INVENTOR. ALBERT F. SH/ELDS (9, 222% J Y "W ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 27, 1951 CARTON TAPTN G MACHINE WITH STEAM MOISTENER FOR THE TAPE.

Albert F. Shields, Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to S 8; S Corrugated Paper Machinery (30., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 9, 1947, Serial No. 790,683

Claims.

My present invention relates to carton taping machines, and more particularly to devices for automatically taping the seams of paper boxes, cartons, or the like, and is particularly directed to mechanism which will operate on a folded box or ca ton moving the same into appropriate juxtaposition with the taping mechanism which applies the tape to the seam.

My invention is primarily directed to automatic steam moistening means for the gummed tape which is placed by the machine on the box, the said moistening means applying moisture to the tape as the tape is applied and only to that portion of the tape which is actually applied.

The foregoing and many other objects of my invention will become apparent in the following description and drawings in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of my novel taping device.

Figure 2 is a top plan view taken from line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, with the cartons removed showing the general arrangement of the various elements of the folded box feeding and guiding means.

Figure 3 is a side view taken from line 33 of Figure 2 locking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detailed view of a portion of the mechanism for actuating the switch of the solenoid operated valve for the steam moistener.

Fi ure 5 is a view in perspective of the steam moistener.

Figure 6 is a circuit diagram for the steam moistener.

Referring now to Figure 1, a control shaft [0 is rotated by sprocket H and chain i2 from sprocket l3 on driving shaft 14. Chain I2 is a continuous chain connected and wound around sprockets for all other operating elements of the machine. This makes complex gearing unnecessary and ensures preservation of predetermined driving ratios.

Control shaft to carries cam 24 which operates in a manner hereinafter described.

Friction disc 25 is also mounted on control shaft it and rotates friction pinion 26 slidably mounted on shaft 3! by means of key 30.

Shaft 3! is fitted with bevel gear 50 which Qngages with bevel gear 32 of shaft 34. Through pulley 35 and belt 36, shaft 34 turns pulley 31 and shaft 38,

Rotation of shaft 33 causes the rotation of feed pulley 4d and idler pulley M at a rate predetermined by the distance of the friction pinion 26 from the center of the friction pulley 25; the greater the distance, the greater the speed.

Thus, the strip of tape 43 is fed from the roll of tape 42 at a constant rate. This rate of speed may be adjusted to suit the length of strips to be used by means of the handle 49 having threaded end '5! engaging with the bearing nut 52, Nut 52 alters the center distance between pulleys 25 and 25 along the keyed parts of the shaft 3|.

After being unwound from roll 42 by the feed ;.ulleys 49 and 4|, tape 43 passes between pulleys 44 and 45 which permit it to form a, loop 46. Tape 43 then passes around guide pulley 63 and finally to the feed pulleys 'H) and H.

Tape 43 is of a type well known in the art,

usually a paper strip having adhesive materia on one side thereof.

Pulleys lo and il perform two functions, namely that of guiding the end of the tape to its proper position at the beginning of the seam to be taped, as well as that of feeding a predetermined length of tape to the seam prior'to its being cut off by the cutting apparatus hereinafter described.

Pulley ill is an idler pulley. Pulley H on shaft 5'2 is rotated by pinion 13 which engages with rack '75. Rack M is moved in the direction of 1c arrow once each revolution of the shaft Ii] by means of cam 24 which is brought to bear against the cam follower 15. Spring l5 acts in a direction to oppose the rack motion due to cam 24. Shaft :72 is thus activated to move in an intermittent reciprocating manner to feed the tape under the feed belt.

The principal reason for the ratchet is to per mit the tape to run past rollers H and 12 when it is pulled by the box. This type of ratchet and pinion arrangement is shown in Patent No. 2,372,780, and hence will serve to feed the longest possible length of tape which may be fed by the device.

Shaft Hi also carries at its outer end cam having the recess 8!. A lever 82 is pivotally mounted at 83 above the cam 86 and is biased toward rotation downwardly by the tension spring 9i. The downward movement of lever 82 is resisted by cam follower 84 which rides on the surface of the cam 80.

When the shaft is is rotated so that the recess 35 of cam surface 85 is opposite the follower 84, then the lever 82 may drop down in response to the pull of tension spring 9!.

The end as of lever 82 opposite its pivot 83 is pivotally connected at 81 to the link 88 which in turn is operatively connected to the knife bar so. When lever 82 is pulled down by tension spring 9! at the time that the follower 34 is opposite the recess 8I of cam 80, it drives the link 88 down, thus driving the cutting knife 90 down to shear the tape against the straight edge 92 (Figure 3). This will occur at the end of the seam in the blank as determined by the adjustment of the knife cam.

Cam 8%) may be angularly adjusted on shaft IE to provide an adjustment for the cut-off point.

The purpose of shaft Illii is to allow only a slight adjustment while running in order to position the front edge of the tape properly on the box.

There may also be a similar shaft, not shown, which moves the pin 83 on the arm 82 which actuates the cut-off knife and thus provides a slight adjustment of the position of the rear edge of the tape on the box.

The prefeeding cam 24 causes the tape to be moved forward just far enough for it to be caught between the box and the delivery roll 94. After the tape is so gripped, it is pulled through by the box itself until it is cut off by the knife.

The prefeeder moves the tape a maximum of about 3 /2 inches, which is somewhat greater than thedistance from the knife to where roll 94 contacts the box. The machine as shown is so arranged that a box 98 inches long can be handled which means that 98 inches of tape can be applied before the cut-off operates.

This type of tape cutting mechanism is shown in Patent No. 2,248,744.

The tape itself in the initial set-up of the machine is threaded past the rollers l9 and II up to the knife 99 registering with the edge of a block 92. rollers III and II, it moves beneath the pressure roller 94 which presses the tape down on the carton seam.

'Pressure roller 94 which carries one end of delivery belt I49 is mountedon shaft 94a which is driven by pinions 94b and 940 from the driving shaft I4. My present invention is directed to the moisten- -ing of the tape between the rollers re and II and the delivery roll 95 and more specifically to the moistening of the tape between the cutting block 92 and the roll 9 so that only that portion of the tape which is to be applied is moistened.

The cutting block 92 is carried on the small steam chest Edd, a-recess ZGI being provided in the steam chest to provide clearance for knife 98. The sloped upper surface 2&2 of the steam chest 260 over which the tape passes between the knife block 92 and the delivery roll M is perforated to permit steam to emerge. The steam chest 2% is supported in appropriate manner just above the box blanks. Pipe 28 3 with a valve 295 spring biased closed is connected between a source of steam, not shown, and steam chest 23 .3. A solenoid 2%, when energized, will open valve 265 to permit steam to enter the steam chest 2% and then permit spring to return the ratchet. However, cam 2e has additional curve 2411 which will prevent the ratchet extension I94 from re- As the tape is fed downwardly by the turning to open switch 2H1 until the drop-oh point of cam 39 which actuates the knife 9!) is reached.

Consequently, the steam reaches the tape while the tape is pulled past the knife until the knife cuts the tape. Only that portion of the tape which is to be cut off and applied is moistened; the remainder stays dry.

This obviates the need for cleaning the ratchet rolls iii and II and prevents deposits of gum on the knife blades and other parts of the machine.

The absence of a moistening roll before the ratchet rolls Hi and Ii also reduces maintenance cost and obviates the necessity for removing portions of the tape after the machine has been idle for some time.

The cartons or boxes I253 are fed at relatively high speed by the high speed feed rollers I2 I, I2! driven from any suitable power source against the stop I22 (see Figures 1, 2, and 3). The carton I which is to be taped is held against the stop I22 by the feed rollers IZI until the stop is lowered. When the stop I22 is lowered in the manner hereinafter described, the carton is fed forward very rapidly to'the front guide stop members I25 carried on the parallel chains I25.

Chains I26 are mounted, at the feed end, on sprockets I21 on the driven shaft I28.

The delivery ends of chains I26 are mounted on the idling sprockets I30 which rotate on their shaft I3I. The chains I26 do not support the cartons I20 but simply are a means for supporting and moving the moving front guide stops I25.

The cartons or boxes I26, after they pass the 'These rolls ensure that the blank I26 will be fed right up to the front guide stops I25.

As the boxes are fed forward, they pass between the belts I and MI, the feed ends of which are mounted on rollers 94 and I43, respectively, and the delivery ends of which are mounted on appropriate rollers, not shown.

Either the feed or delivery rollers of the belts I i-I]; E i! may be driven in any appropriate manner. Belts I49 and MI engage both surfaces of the boxes I20 and move them away at appropriate speed. The rolls I43 and feed rollers I35 and I36 are spaced from each other by a distance less than the shortest length of box which is to be fed and taped therebetween, and the box or carton thus to be taped is actually supported between these rolls'with the upper surface of chains I26 slightly below the level of the upper surface of roll I35 and slightly below the level of belt I II.

Thus, the chain I26 serves only to support and move the pair of front guide stops I25.

The stop I22 is supported on a pair of links I58, one on each side, passing through an opening in an appropriate stationary guide bracket I5I on the frame of the machine at the upper end thereof, and also through an appropriate stationary guide bracket I53 at the lower end of each thereof.

A' compression spring I55 is captured between the lower stationary bracket I53 on each side and a collar I55 on the link I553 on each side, thereby biasing the links I56 upwardly and biasing the stop I22 to the upper stopping position shown in Figure 3.

Link I56 on each side is provided at its lower end with an extension I88 engageable by the crank arm IIiI, once during each revolution of crank arm I5 I. Crank arm ISI is mounted on the shaft I62 driven from shaft It) with a one-.to-one speed ratio as shown in Figure 1 by chain "55o connecting sprockets I55 and IE5.

The reason shaft I62 is driven from shaft I93 with a one-to-one ratio is because it is necessary to have one taping cycle for one gate opening at all times. The machine is arranged so that the ratio between sprocket i3 and sprocket II can be doubled when another stop I25a is added to the chain I26 so as to give equal chain distances between the !25 and I25a. This is done to handle small boxes more rapidly. By running the machine at the same speed we can take twice as many boxes with two stops as with one.

If the gate is driven as I have shown in Figure '1, then no adjustment of the gate speed will be required when changing from one to two stops. To accomplish this, Iinay use two chain drives between I3 and I i, one having twice the ratio of the other. Then I may clutch in either one desired and remove or replace stop I255; as the case may be.

As the crank arm lei rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow, past the extension I68 of link I59, it engages the same and pushes it down,

thereby driving links I58 down and pulling down the stop I22.

The length of crank arm IEI is so related to the length of extension 5% that the stop I22 will be held down a sufficient length of time to permit the blank iii to pass the same. Crank arm IEI in its continued rotation will then release the extension I55, thereby permitting spring I55 to drive the link I593 up, thereby permitting spring I55 to drive the stop up. The same construction is embodied on both sides of the mechanism.

All of the elements of my novel device are in- I tegrated mechanically so that the correct feeding of the blank is matched with the correct feeding of the tape and so that the tape is cut off at exactly the right position.

- -Most boxes and cartons are slotted and arranged as shown at carton Ififia of Figure 1, so that flaps I2llb and slots IZfic are provided, the slots registering with the seam IZdd at which the tape is to be applied.

Accordingly, the taping operation cannot begin at the exact leading edge of the carton 528, but rather at the line I2fie at which the seam begins.

Likewise, the tape cutting operation should be performed at just the time the trailing end Iillij and the seam Iiiid passes beneath the knife edge 96, so that the tape will terminate at the trail ing end I29 of the seam.

' The gate I22 and the stop I25 are fixed at all times and require no adjustment. The gate merely retracts when I25 comes around enabling the front edge of the box to engage I25.

The stop I25 in turn times the box correctly for the taping head, i. e., it ensures the same front edge position for all boxes so that the setting readings of the taper will have meaning. The "sreefeed is set a c rtain distance behind the front edge, The cut-ofi is set another (greater by at least 8 2,") distance behind the leading ed e- Accordingly, appropriate markings are placed on the scales for adjustment angularly of cam 2.4 and knife cam 8i! so that the leading edge of the seam of the blank at the base of the flap coincides with the beginning of the tape feed and the trailing edge of the seam of the blank at thebase of the flap coincides with the tape cut-off.

The feed roll speed is somewhat over that of the chain I26 to ensure that the box will catch up to stops I25 and stay against it. My apparatus drops the gate. as soon as possible after stops I25 pass so that the box will catch up. to stops I25 before stops. I25 pass the delivery roll 91;.

It will be obvious that the gear ratios between the sprockets I 27 which drive the chains I2$ and the shaft H52 which drives the crank arms ifiI should be so adjusted that the crank arm-s Ifii will rotate once for each complete cycle of the stops I25, so that the crank arms IBI will pull down the stop I22 whenever the front guide stops I25 have reached the exactly proper position.

The box itself then pulls the tape out. The feed rollers I36 and I35 rotate at slightly over the chain. speed, but as long as the leadin edge of the blank is held by the front guide stops I25, all that these feed rollers do is hold the blank steady against the front guide stops I25. I

The belts Hill and MI move at the speed of the blank I29 until the front guide stops I25 on chains I26 have rotated part way around the sprockets I353 atwhich time the blank is re leased from these front guide stops I25 and permitted to.move out.

Summarizing, therefore, the blanks are suc'- cessively fed up to the taping device at high speed where they are stopped at the stop I22. 0n the release of the stop I22, they are fed at high speed against the front guide stops I25 where they are held steady and in accurate relation by the high speed feed rolls I35 and I35. The movement of stops I25 in the direction indicated by the arrow is at a speed exactly equal to the speed of the delivery belts, so' that the blanks during application of the tape are moved at the exactly appropriate speed for such operation.

By this means, therefore, a combination of speeds is obtained whereby the blanks are fed in at high speed but are held at the appropriate speed for taping during the taping operation.

Side guides, not shown, are provided to align the blank so that its seam will pass under the tape application.

From time to time, adjustment of handle 49 may be necessary to ensure that a proper tape loop 4% is provided. This adjustment need be made, however, only infrequently, whenever a new length of tape is to be applied and sometimes to readjust the tape length slightly during a run.

The distance from-stop I221 to blade so does not limit the size of the box because stop I22 will be held down by the box as it passes over. This is so because only a spring force moves the gate up. The top of stop I22 has been made flat so that it wont mar the underside of the box when the box rubs over the gate.

Also, the distance from blade to where chain I26 ends oif does not limit the box because when the box has gone in between the delivery belts for that distance, i. e., to about over the center of I 30, the box is sumciently Well held by the delivery belt to progress further without any lead: ing edge guide.

It will also be clear from an inspection of Fig? ure 1 that the near side of the apparatus (opposite the side thereof which contains the driving elements and tape feeding elements) is completely clear and that, accordingly, blanks of any width may be passed through the taping device.

Also, on the driving side of the apparatus, shaft M, as well as all the other operating shafts, extend below the blank feeding area and all of the other elements extend above the blank feeding area.

side of the seam may project for any distance,

outside the apparatus. Accordingly, by this means, an open throat taping machine is provided in which the machine elements may occupy substantially limited floor space while the cartons which are to be taped may extend far outside from one side of the machine when extremely wide cartons are'to be taped.

The device is so arranged that folded cartons of a width more than double the entire width of the mechanism may be folded thereby. This is so because in any carton except an exactly square carton the tape seam is nearer one edge than the other.

Thus, it will be seen that my invention contemplates a novel means for feeding blanks at high speed to the taping device, taping the blanks at appropriate taping speed, and removing the blanks from the taping device. Accurate registry is obtained by the gate which aligns the front edge and by moving front guides which hold the blanks in proper angular relation with respect tothe taping device.

All of the elements are integrated-mechanically so that no mechanical or electrical relays or tripping devices are required.

Only two minor adjustments need be made when changing from runs of one blank to another blank, and these adjustments may be readily calibrated to be made instantaneously.

In the foregoing, I have described my invention solely in connection with a preferred illustrative commercial embodiment thereof. Since many variations and modifications of my invention should now be obvious to those skilled in the art, I prefer to-be bound not by the specific disclosure herein contained but only by the-appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a taping machine for applying tape to the seam or" a folded box blank; a tape supply carrying tape with an adhesive composition adapted to become adherent on the application of moisture thereto; means for feeding tape from said tape supply and applying the same to the box blank; means for cutting tape after a desired length has been fed; and means for moistening said tape; said tape moistening means comprising a conduit, a steam supply for said conduit; an exit for the steam from said conduit; said steam exit from said conduit being located between said cutting means and the point of application of the to the box blank; said tape passing over said steam exit between said knife and the point of appiicaticn of the tape to said box blank.

2. In a taping machine for.applying tape to the seam of a folded box blank; a tape supply carrying tape with an adhesive composition adapted to become adherent on the application of moisture thereto; means for feeding tape from said tape supply and applying the same to the box blank; means for cutting said tape after a desired length has been fed; and means for moistening said tape; said tape moistening means comprising a conduit, a' steam supply for said conduit; an exit for the steam from said conduit; said steam exit from said conduit being located between said cutting means and the point of application of the tape to the box blank; said tape passing over said steam exit between said knife and the point of application of the tape to said box blank, and means for controlling the supply-of steam to said conduit; said means supplying steam to said conduit when the tape is moving thereover and halting the supply of steam to said conduit when the tape in the machine is stationary.

3. In a taping machine for applying tape to the seam of a folded box blank; a tape supply carrying tape with an adhesive composition adapted to become adherent on the application of moisture thereto; means for feeding tape from said tape suppiy and applying the same to the box blank; means for cutting said tape after a desired length has been fed; and means for I moistening said tape; said tape moistening means comprising a conduit, a moisture under pressure for said conduit; an exit for the moisture under pressure from said conduit; said exit for the moisture under pressure from said conduit being located between said cutting means and the point of application of the tape to the box blank; said tape passing over said exit for the moisture under pressure between said knife and the point of application of the tape to said box blank.

4. In a tapin machine for applying tape to the seam of a folded box blank; a tape supply carrying tape with an adhesive composition adapted to become adherent on the application of moisture thereto; means for feeding tape from said tape supply and applying the same to the box blank; l .eans for cutting said tape after a desired length has been fed; and means fo incistening said tape; said tape moistening means comprising conduit, a moisture under pressure for said conduit; an exit for the moisture under pressure from said conduit; said exit for the moisture under pressure from said conduit being located between said cutting means and the point of application of the tape to the box blank; said tape passing over said exit for the moisture under pressure between said knife .and the point of application of the tape to said box blank, and means for controlling the supply of moisture under pressure to said conduit; said means supplyin moisture under pressure to said conduit when the tape is moving thereover and halting the supply of moisture under pressure to said conduit when the tape in the machine is stationary.

5. In a taping machine for applying tape to the seam of a folded box blank; a tape supply carrying tape with an adhesive composition adapted to become adherent on the application of moisture thereto; means for feeding tape from said tape supply and applying the same to the box blank; means for cutting said tape after a desired length has been fed; and means for moistening said tape; said tape moistening means comprising conduit, a moisture supply for said conduit; an exit for the moisture from said conduit; said moist'Te' exit from said conduit being located between said cutting means and the point of application of the tape to the box blank; said tape passing over said moisture exit between said knife and the point of application of the tape to said box biank, and means for controlling the supply of moisture to said conduit; said means 9 10 supplying moisture to said conduit when the tape UNITED STATES PATENTS is moving thereover and halting the supply of Number Name Date moisture to said. conduit when the tape in the 1,198,564 McLaurin Sept. 19, 1916 machine is Stationary 1,751,390 Brust Mar. 18, 1930 ALBERT SHIELDS 5 2,248,744 Cohen July 3, 1941 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

